Fortune And Finery

About Fortune And Finery

Aqueduct staged its final races June 28, ending a 132-year history at the Queens track. It remained open for simulcast wagering until September 7 before closing permanently.

The new Belmont is significantly different than the sprawling venue it replaced. The former 1.25 million-square-foot grandstand, which had become vastly oversized for the contemporary racing crowd, was demolished to make way for a much smaller, modern facility with a focus on hospitality and premium seating.

Friday’s opening was deliberately capped at 6,000 spectators while construction continues. Only the first two levels of the new five-story grandstand are currently open, with the remaining sections scheduled for completion ahead of next year’s meet.

About Fortune And Finery

Revenue from slot machines and physical table games declined to €63.4 million from €71.3 million, primarily due to a reduced retail network and fewer slot machines.

Betting and iCasino GGR rose to €151.6 million from €146.5 million. Growth in iCasino resulted from an expanded game catalogue and a rapid expansion of live casino offerings. 

Veikkaus’ international B2B subsidiary, Fennica Gaming, continued rapid expansion in H1 2026, with revenue increasing by 80.6% to €10.3 million from €5.7 million in the previous year. 

About Fortune And Finery

The $1.04 billion jackpot ranked eighth all-time in Powerball history and marked the 15th billion-dollar lottery prize won in the United States. It stands as the second-largest lottery prize ever claimed in Illinois, trailing only the $1.33 billion Mega Millions jackpot won in July 2022.

“A jackpot of this magnitude is an extraordinary event, and we’re excited to see the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois officially claimed,” said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “It’s exciting to see such a significant Powerball win come to an Illinois player, and we’re pleased to celebrate this milestone with them.”

For selling the winning ticket, the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store, located at 310 N. 36th St. in Quincy, collected a $500,000 retailer bonus.